Poly(ethylene glycols)(PEGs) and derivatives thereof are finding a rapidly expanding range of chemical, biomedical, and industrial applications resulting from their low cost and useful properties, such as solubility in aqueous and organic solvents, metal complexing ability, biological compatibility and ease of site specific chemical modification. Such polymers have been employed, for example, as matrices for liquid phase peptide synthesis, ligands for water soluble transition metal complexes and drug carriers.
With the development of new application areas, there is a growing demand for new and improved PEG derivatives which can be tailored to meet user requirements.
Inada et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,098 disclose a conjugate comprising a magnetic material and a physiologically active substance bound to each other through a poly(ethylene glycol) derivative.
Mutter, Tetrahedron Letters, 31, 2839-2842 (1978) describes a procedure to convert the terminal hydroxyl groups of PEG to reactive primary amino groups and the preparation of a number of reagents bound to PEG-NH.sub.2. However, there is no suggestion of a polymer containing units comprising a poly(alkylene oxide) moiety linked to a chelating group.
Harris et al, J. Polymer. Science, 22, 341-352 (1984) describe various PEG derivatives including PEG-amine. However, there is no suggestion of a polymer containing units comprising a poly(alkylene oxide) moiety linked to a chelating group.
European Patent Application 200,467 describes superoxide dismutase chemically modified with poly(alkylene oxide) which can be used to remove toxic substances derived from oxygen from the blood circulation. The modified superoxide dismutase has a molecular structure in which both ends of a poly(alkylene oxide) molecule are attached to the superoxide dismustase.